The present invention is generally related to the hoist arts and, in particular, to a novel system and method for adapting a hoist system to the back of a truck.
The use of truck-mounted hoists has been shown in the prior art. However, such prior art systems have proven to be cumbersome to install and difficult to use in practice. Prior art systems have also proven to be overly expensive and have thus not found widespread use in the art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to demonstrate a novel hoist system which may be easily adapted for use on the back of a pick-up truck.
It is a still further object of the invention to show a hoist method which is very easy to use in practice and which may be installed and used by a single person.
It is also an object of the invention to set forth a hoist system and method which may be economically mass-produced for widespread commercial appeal.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in art from the description which follows.
During the course-of preparing this Patent Application for submission to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a full search of the prior art was conducted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,078 shows a portable hoist which is attached to the rear bed of a pick-up truck. The design is attached to a hitch at a central location of the truck bed. This particular design is costly to manufacture and install and thus has not found widespread use in the art.
In contrast, the present invention has components which are economically manufactured and easily installed. It utilizes an existing rear bumper trailer hitch to minimize the number of parts required.
Accordingly, the present system is believed to be clearly patentable over all known hoist systems in the prior art.
An elongated boom element is securely and movably attached to a trailer hitch on a rear bumper of a pick-up truck.
A pulley and chain assembly is attached to one end or remote location of the boom element and serves to lift a desired load.
Plural support cables serve to lift and support the boom. The support cables extend from one remote location on the boom to various portions of the truck bed and/or sidewalls.
The boom and support cables may be adjustable by known mechanical means to provide various heights and angles for the overall hoist assembly.
The movable parts of the design may be easily controlled, for example, via a hand winch element.